Adequate work lighting in construction, service, or maintenance applications is necessary for a safe effective working environment. The conventional so-called “trouble light”, that is, an incandescent bulb protected by and mounted within a cage, has been a mainstay of temporary indoor work lighting for years. More recently stand-supported quartz halogen work lamps, and variations of stand-supported fluorescent work lamps have become common.
It is known that when using many of these temporary portable light sources that they often cannot be maintained in adequate position, and/or are vulnerable to damage during transportation, which adversely affects their portability. Previously attempts have been made to resolve this problem by enclosing a portable light within a case. Examples are as follows:
U.S. Pat. No. 6,659,620 which issued to Goto on Dec. 9, 2003, describes a portable lighting apparatus that contains lighting and stage for photographing objects placed on the case stage.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,164,801 which issued to Alexander-Katz on Dec. 26, 2000, describes a self contained portable lighting system having first and second closures with florescent tube lamps and fold out reflectors. The two closures can be co-joined to form an array of such lighting systems, and when not in use fastened to each other to form a unitized case protecting the lighting elements within.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,890,793 which issued to Stephens on Apr. 6, 1999, describes a portable luminescent lighting system with a split case, plurality of elongated lamps, and reflector shields placed there between, providing directed lighting for television, video and film production.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,707,766 which issued to Bertozzi et al. on Nov. 17, 1987, describes a modular lighting projector for illuminating from the ground in theatres, studios and the like.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,658,337 which issued to Burke on Apr. 14th, 1987, describes a portable fluorescent lighting device with a pivotally joined collapsible frame that serves as both as a stand and protective enclosure.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,370,842 which issued to Reeves on Mar. 8th, 1921, describes a photographer's portable light having a rectangular case containing incandescent lamps offset from each other in each half of the case. The two halves of the case open one hundred eighty degrees about a common hinge so as to expose the lamps.